This disclosure relates to a technique for managing components of an application enablement suite (AES).
Alcatel-Lucent of Paris, France makes network assets available to partners of network operators, application developers, and content providers through its API Enablement Suite which implements an application enablement vision through a secure exposure layer. The assets can be used to personalize and enrich web-based services making them more appealing and valuable. FIG. 1 provides a functional diagram of Alcatel-Lucent's application enablement offering.
Extensive and recent market analysis shows that the revenues generated from smartphone application downloads will exceed $11 billion in 2014 (see FIG. 2) and that downloads that are paid applications will increase from 33% in 2010 to 48% in 2014 (Source: The Mobile App Gold Rush Speeds Up by Yankee Group—March 2010). FIG. 2 provides a revenue projection application downloads. The ability to evolve application portfolios with market changes and successful experiences among partners, program developers, and network operators will make market offers more compelling and determine the overall success of new network services offered by service providers.
As more and more applications become available from the Internet, application stores, and social networks the challenge for network service providers to integrate subscribers into application partners and social network partners is significantly increased. For example, there is a need for improved products to integrate telecommunication networks with Internet services, application stores, and social networks.
For these and other reasons, there is a need to provide a solution to manage components of an AES that is robust, scalable, and expandable to accommodate AESs that offer diverse services across various types of networks using a variety of technological solutions. For example, there is a specific need to help telecommunication network service providers tap into the growing demand of mobile applications and social networks to provide such services to its subscribers.